SOLiTHOR Unveils 10Ah Prototype Solid-State Battery Cell with 465Wh/kg Energy Density

2026-06-18 | Calvin

Learned on June 13 that SOLiTHOR, a European deep-tech chemical startup, announced yesterday that its newly developed solid-state battery technology has achieved a stack-level energy density of 465 Wh/kg and 1400 Wh/L in pouch cell designs, requiring no liquid electrolyte throughout the process. This breakthrough was realized by infusing the company's proprietary composite solid electrolyte into high-areal-capacity cathodes for the first time, with the cathode areal capacity reaching 8 mAh/cm².

Headquartered in Sint-Truiden, Belgium, SOLiTHOR adopts a technical approach distinct from polymer, inorganic and semi-solid-state solutions. The company's exclusive sol-gel chemistry eliminates the liquid electrolyte injection process entirely. Its multi-layer pouch cells can sustain continuous discharge at up to 5C at 25°C with negligible capacity degradation, and support 10C pulse discharge for 30 seconds at a 50% state of charge.

The outstanding high-power performance makes the battery well-suited for scenarios demanding instantaneous power bursts such as drone takeoff and landing. In terms of durability, the 1Ah multi-layer pouch cell maintains a capacity retention rate above 80% after more than 500 discharge cycles.

For mass production readiness, SOLiTHOR's first 10Ah prototype cell has officially rolled off the production line. The technology is compatible with roll-to-roll manufacturing processes. Compared with traditional and semi-solid lithium-ion battery production, it removes the electrolyte injection step and cuts the formation and aging time by two-thirds. These optimizations can reduce overall manufacturing costs by 25%. Existing lithium-ion battery production lines can be upgraded to produce solid-state batteries without additional equipment, featuring low conversion costs and lower operating expenses.

During safety tests, the fully charged multi-layer pouch cells passed overcharge and nail penetration tests without emitting smoke, leaking fluid, experiencing thermal runaway or catching fire.

Dr. Fanny Bardé, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of SOLiTHOR, stated: "SOLiTHOR has developed a chemical system that enables the industry to rethink solid-state battery cell manufacturing. These achievements not only validate the feasibility of our chemical system, but also prove it can meet practical application requirements for energy density, power performance and cycle life. They also demonstrate our capability to accelerate R&D with faster iteration and greater performance gains."

Rodrigo P. Navarro, Chief Executive Officer of the company, commented: "With this major technical update, we have proven that our technology is viable for mass production and can serve high-performance, high-value applications in aerospace, dual-use military and civilian sectors, as well as the mobility industry. We believe our technology presents an appealing opportunity for the industry to balance superior performance and manufacturing cost-efficiency, while contributing to Europe's strategic autonomy."

SOLiTHOR has recently secured its first defense funding via the DEEP-TECH project backed by the European Defence Fund to advance Europe's deep-sea autonomous capabilities. The company also expects to benefit from new legislations including the European Industrial Acceleration Act. Its composite solid electrolyte can be fully manufactured using materials widely supplied across Europe and is fully compatible with Europe's existing industrial infrastructure.